Kinks and Zombies Bassist Jim Rodford Dies at 76

Jim Rodford, a bassist for the classic rock groups the Kinks and Zombies, died on Saturday in St. Albans, England. He was 76.

Rod Argent, one of the founding members of The Zombies, announced the death of his cousin on the band’s Facebook page.

“It is with deep sadness that I learned this morning that my dear cousin and lifelong friend, Jim Rodford, died this morning after a fall on the stairs. More details are not yet known about the exact cause of death,” Argent wrote.

Rodford did not join The Zombies when the band started in 1961, because he was in another successful local band at the time. However, he supported the group and was the “very first person outside the group ever” to hear their iconic single “She’s Not There,” Argent wrote.

Rodford later helped Argent form his own band, Argent, which released its first album in 1970. After Argent ended, Rodford joined The Kinks in 1978 and played with them until 1993.

Rodford did not perform with the Zombies until late 1999, when Argent put the band back together again to tour and record. His son, Steve Rodford, played drums in this incarnation of the band.

“To the end, Jim’s life was dedicated to music. He was unfailingly committed to local music — an ever present member of the local scene in St. Albans, where he had spent his whole life,” Argent wrote. “Often, [Zombies singer Colin Blunstone] and I would compare notes a couple of days immediately after a U.S. tour and discuss how long it would take us to recover from an intense, fantastic but exhausting couple of months — only to find out and marvel that Jim had already been out playing with local bands (often, but not always, with ‘The Rodford Files,’ made up of talented family members) or giving charity shows or lectures on the St. Albans music scene.”

“It is with deep sadness that we have learned that Jim Rodford passed away — he toured and recorded with the Kinks for many years and will be greatly missed. He was much loved by all of us,” the Kinks wrote on Twitter.

According to Billboard, Rodford is survived by his wife of 56 years, Jean, his children and grandchildren.

Photo credit: Facebook/ The Zombies